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Thursday, July 03, 2014

Cinderella Nairn misses out on the Queen's Baton Relay celebrations

Today the Commonwealth Games Baton was taken round Moray and looking at the follow the baton page on the website it certainly saw a lot of Moray, towns and villages alike. Surely they could have popped over to Nairn for a quick 5 minute jog around the running track on the games site on the Links perhaps? No chance Cinderella Nairn misses out on the Baton. Were they worried about getting stuck in the traffic?

The Glasgow Commonwealth Games website states:

"From 14 June to 23 July the Queen’s Baton Relay will travel the length and breadth of Scotland, inviting everyone to be a part of the excitement, celebrations and countdown to the Games. There are countless sports and cultural events taking place daily along the route, including an evening celebration, so that even bigger crowds can enjoy and take part in the festivities.

With up to 4,000 batonbearers joining the relay in more than 400 communities, this is Scotland’s biggest ever relay. The Queen’s Baton is visiting all 32 Local Authorities, with up to 100 batonbearers carrying Her Majesty’s message daily."

This observer wonders who drew up the itinerary for the baton's journey and why the second largest built-up area in the Highlands (Nairn) didn't get a chance to take part. After all we are not short of sporting activities in Nairn are we? And there could have been a chance for a one-day boost to visitor figures.

A Highland Council press release talks up events next week and a whole lot of things are planned: "Next Friday (11 July) the Highlands will be hosting the Queen’s Baton Relay for a whole day as it makes its way from John O’ Groats to be centre stage at Jubilee Park in Dingwall as the finale of a special Highland celebration event.

Communities are being encouraged to line the streets and cheer on the baton relay when it travels through the Highlands on Friday and Saturday." More on what will be happening in other parts of the Highlands here. Lots going on then from John O' Groats to Fort William but Cinderella Nairn will miss out again.

This observer noticed a feature on the Glasgow2014 that states "Find out when the baton is in a city near you." Nairn was typed in and the result is shown in the image below.

Why did we have to miss out when over 400 other communities got a chance to participate? Why didn't Nairn rate in this?

13 comments:

Iain
said...

The prospect of Brigadoon moves ever closer. In fact, it may already have happened. No one in the wider world knows we are here!However, I expect if someone in an official capacity had asked, it would have come this way. Might be good to know the process behind the planning of the route.

@dinnae meddle It looks as though Highland Council did have some input but as to who designed the route is unclear. Here's some information from a press release dated 21st May 2014.

"The Convener of The Highland Council, Councillor Jimmy Gray is calling for communities to join together and be part of the celebrations as the Commonwealth Queen’s Baton Relay journeys through the Highlands this summer.

The relay comes to the Highland area in July this year, passing through 16 different communities. Although the Relay is organised by the Glasgow 2014 Committee the arrangements in the Highland area are co-ordinated by The Highland Council, working with partner organisations and community groups.

In his call for people to rally together to mark the visit Convener Jimmy Gray said: “This is a once in a life-time opportunity and the relay is a unique tradition of the Games that unites people in a celebration of sport, diversity and peace. I’m particularly delighted that so many of our communities will have the chance to be part of the celebrations in the build up to the Glasgow 2014 Games. This is the ideal opportunity for local community groups, schools, sports clubs, care homes, local businesses, staff and teams of volunteers to work together to ensure everyone remembers the day they saw the 2014 Commonwealth Queen's Baton.”The exact route and timings are being finalised and will be announced in early June but the baton’s first appearance in the Highlands will be on Friday 4 July when it will be in Aviemore en-route from Moray to Perth and Kinross. It will then arrive in Ullapool from the Western Isles on Wednesday 9 July before it travels north to Lairg and Thurso on its way to visit the Orkney Islands. The Baton Relay then returns to the Highlands for two full days on Friday 11 and Saturday 12 July arriving on Friday morning at John O' Groats then making its way to Wick, Brora, Golspie, Tain and Alness before arriving in Dingwall where it will take centre stage during a special celebration to be held at the Jubilee Park. On Saturday it travels south on the A82 from Inverness through Drumnadrochit, Fort Augustus and Spean Bridge to end in Fort William where it will be handed over to Argyll and Bute Council."